My latest design for an elegant table runner was lovely to make. I’ve become a bit addicted to DMC Petra, it’s soft with a sheen and gives a good definition to raised and textured stitches. This runner would make a lovely silver wedding gift. I used number 5 in Khaki and cream to make this one.
My inspiration for my latest crochet project came from an afghan throw I saw on Pinterest. It was made in strips of shades of brown and rust starting with a pale shade and ending with a dark brown. Very autumnal and very lovely!
Earlier this year I made a golden wedding runner and it brought in requests for another special crochet gift design. I thought it would be a good idea to design and make a silver wedding runner. I had sent for a selection of DMC petra in number 5 for the Russian style runner. I decided to buy the cream and khaki (looks more like grey to me) on impulse and they look beautiful together.
Looking at the autumn coloured afghan it inspired me to make a runner in long strips. I tried out the arrow stitch and it immediately looked really pretty, bearing in mind not all stitches look good in both thin and thicker cottons and yarn but this one worked very well. I added a few rows of dc’s to emphasise the arrow stitch and break up the two bands of colours.
Finally as the runner was designed as a special gift it needed something special so I added long silky tassels in the khaki cotton. It was very satisfying to make and while arrow stitch is a bit fiddly I loved the finished textured look.
Ella Rae was created in Australia and I think the colours of this yarn reflect the bright light of Australia. The brand has a reputation for creating simple and classic designs using a range of yarns. Ella Rae is soft, machine washable and excellent value for a 100gm ball. The content of this double knit (light worsted) is 75% acrylic and 25% wool and a 100gm ball is around 195 metres.
Ella Rae comes in many different colours including 9 bright blends that use the same dyes as the plain coloured yarns. All the colours are bright from pink, orange to turquoise and lime green. There is also a white to tone things down. I use a hook size 3.75 with Ella Rae cosy.
Ella Rae would be good to use for soft cozy scarfs and lovely for baby and child garments. I used it for a pretty brooch. Despite all of this I have to say this is not my favourite yarn, it has a tendency to split and I find the finished colours a bit brash. I tried it with other yarns of the same weight and it just didn’t look right. If you want bargain soft yarn with a wool content this could the one to go for.
When I started out in crochet fine crochet was all I made. Since then I’ve used a variety of yarns and learned to love them all! Following my review and testing of Puppets Eldorado I decided to try something new with this finer cotton. Traditionally fine or thread crochet is intricate and ‘open’ to create a lace effect. With a new design I wanted to change this and I was sure a closer texture would create a modern look. Gone are the days when finer crochet cotton came in white, cream and ecru only! Puppets Eldorado comes in a whole range of colours and sizes 6, 10, 12, 16. The traditional colours still exist but for a more contemporary feel go for a darker colour.
Colours range from pale pinks and blues to darker like a deep red, dark brown, black and dark green. Autumn colours for my new design were my inspiration. I wanted to show fine (thread) crochet can fit beautifully into contemporary surroundings.
I started out by working on a small motif design. Using gold and cream cotton kept the design looking modern and updated. By using a combination of the two colours in each motif and in the layout of the design by accident the design created a ‘wheel effect which I liked. The motifs I crocheted together using picots as the joining stitches as I went along which I always prefer! The finished runner didn’t need an edging which would have ‘spoilt’ the contemporary look.
The key is to keep the design simple, The finished runner would look good in grey or deep purple and light and dark peach.
Gone are the days when finer crochet cotton only came in white, cream and ecru! Puppets Eldorado cotton comes in a whole range of colours and sizes 6, 10, 12, 16. The traditional colours still exist but for a more contemporary look go for a darker colour. Colours range from pale pinks and blues to darker like a deep red, dark brown, black and dark green. I love the broze and gold yellow. Puppets Eldorado also has a range of lovely blends which I’ve used for my 3D flowers.
I used Puppets Eldorado number 10 for my gold table runner and number 20 for my pot pourri bags, it’s 100% cotton and lovely quality. Using a 1.75mm crochet hook the round motifs of my bronze/cream runner measure 2.5” (6.5cm). No 10 comes in 50g balls and has around 265 metres of cotton.
Use puppets Eldorado to make traditional doilies and table covers but also for delicate edgings and flower trims for summer straw hats.
I think an edging or trim using puppets Eldorado would make a lovely anniversary or wedding gift when crocheted to match bought towels.
You can buy puppets Eldorado from purpleinda crafts
My inspiration for the first colour block cushion came with a visit to Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire this summer. Built of stone in the 15th century with stone stairs, stone walls and floors the house could have been gloomy and dark but instead the rooms of this family home were bright and cosy.
I love colour and colour combinations wherever you see them in nature, in clothing, gardens or interior designs. Creamy curtains with a large print of bright colours in one room of the castle made me see how the combination of turquoise, taupe and white would make a bright fresh looking cushion. Once home I searched for a double knit wool in the right colours and hit on Sirdar Snuggly.
Choosing teal, taupe, white and orange when the wool arrived the combination of teal and white looked better without the taupe or orange and would keep the cushion looking fresh and modern.
I designed a very pretty round motif earlier this year which I’ve used in many different ways. In this cushion I’ve used it to make a square motif. I experimented with the two colours trying a white centre and a turquoise surround and then a turquoise centre with a white surround which was my choice. Either combination looks good and creates a very different look for the cushion.
I experimented with the panels. The small motifs looked too much on their own so I made a long thin strip of them and made a couple of textured panels to go alongside. From there the obvious solutions was another bank of the motifs and the design was complete. For the panels I chose a very simple textured stitch. I’ve become a bit addicted to textured crochet recently. It creates a lovely Arran style knitted finish and it’s very therapeutic to make.
As so often I finish a design before I think too much about how to finish it, if a fastening is needed and whether to add an edging. For this cushion design I had a mind to use the centre of the motif for buttons and a simple crochet loop to create a fastening. When this was done I was very happy with the finished look and decided an edging would spoil the simple fresh modern look.
One of the things I love about crochet is its flexibility
and the good news is you don’t have to be an experienced crocheter to change
and adapt patterns. Although changing a pattern is not advisable for clothing.
Adapt patterns to make your projects distinctive and to add a ‘wow’ to your
crochet projects. Here are my favourite ways to do this:
Change the yarn thickness of a
cushion pattern to a bigger or smaller weight yarn. Change your hook size to
create a bigger or smaller cushion. Using thicker yarns gives less definition
than finer ones, but creates a lovely chunky feel.
Add two yarns together to create
your own blend of yarn to create a tweedy effect.
It’s particularly easy to adapt
patterns if the pattern uses motifs. For example change the actual motif of
your pattern or mix and match motifs. This will work if the additional or
changed motifs have the same finished size as the original pattern motif and
you use the same yarn and hook.
Add extra rows of dc’s (sc’s) ot
tr’s (dc’s) to crochet cushions or throws to make a larger cushion.
Add rows of flowers as you go
along or on top of your work. This works well with bags, cushions and throws. Keep
to the original size of the pattern and you will be OK.
Change the colours of a pattern or
add more colours. If a pattern has motifs use multiple colours or one colour
for the centre of all your motifs for a completely different effect.
Simply changing the main colour of
your design from light to dark or subtle to bright will dramatically change
your finished project
Add picots to the edge of a
cardigan or scarf. This won’t affect the pattern but will make it look special and
finished.
Add beads and buttons to the
centre of crochet flowers if using a pattern with flowers.
Replace standard buttons with hand
crafted wooden buttons or crochet your own buttons
Add a different edging to
clothing, cushions and throws than the one in the pattern.
Crochet on top even simple chains
will highlight a specific area using a different colour.
Instead on one big motif make 4
small ones that finished make the same size as the original pattern.
Use shells or popcorns instead of
groups of trebles (dc’s) adding chains or leaving spaces to get the balance of
your pattern right.
If using a motif pattern that stitches
motifs together change this by crocheting motifs together using dc’s (sc’s) or
slip stitches.
If a pattern has groups of
trebles (dc’s) and dc’s (sc’s) crochet into back loops only to create a pretty
ridge effect this works on garments as well.
If using motifs make the last row
all the same colour to create a background look.
A soft 100% cotton DK print yarn, Louisa Harding Azalea comes in a choice of subtle blended colours, including heather and rusty purple subtle blends with multiple colours per ball. Azalea has a an elegant drape effect which you can see in the cascade scarf I made. Used in combination with a Bergere de France Ideal wool based yarn the result was a lovely soft drape tweed scarf.
On its own I created this lovely flower brooch with Azalea in a heather blend. The brooch would work equally well on a headband. For the scarf I used 4mm hook and for the brooch a 3.25mm hook.
Azalea is perfect for beautiful warm weather knits and stunning shawls. As you would expect from a cotton yarn, it has fantastic stitch definition. Azalea is machine washable.
Cascade Crochet Scarf
Louisa Harding Azalea is a DK Blend and 100% Cotton. The ball weight is 100g (3.5oz) and the yarn Length is 240m (262 yds). Tension: 22 stitches, 30 rows to 10cm/4" for knitting and 22sts 10 rows 7.5cm's/3"crochet.
Readily available in yarn retailers and on line from Wool Warehouse Louisa Harding Azalea is a lovely addition to the Louis Harding range.
For me a special stitch is something that takes a basic dc (sc),
tr (dc) and uses it in another way to add another element to crochet projects.
This might be by crocheting on the surface or rows of shells added to a baby
blanket on garments or cushions or throws.
Special stitches don’t have to be complicated and for a
beginner a special stitch will move your crochet projects on to the next level.
My crochet rug looks good in its original version but special stitches added looks
something really distinctive.
Special stitches can be everything from a cluster to a picot
or more difficult such as bullion stitches. With a little planning you can add
special stitches to kits or patterns to make them your own and create something
truly original. For example if you are making a pattern with 3tr (3dc) groups
turn them into a 3tr (3dc) clusters with 1ch worked on either side. Or turn a
4tr (4dc) group into a cross over treble group which looks really smart.
Clusters, shells, picots, spike stitches are all special
stitches and all easy to make and to adapt into existing work or patterns.Adding a special stitch makes designs original and really
stand out.
Use a contrasting yarn for your
special stitches if crocheting on the surface and don’t be afraid to try a
finer yarn or yarn of a different texture.
A very easy way to add special
stitches is surface crochet with surface chain or slip stitch. Image to make
Finish the top row of a project to
give a very pretty finish with 1ch between dc’s (sc’s) as a very easy way to
create picots.
If your design includes large
areas of chains and spaces, add a picot to the chains. This looks very pretty.
Wiggle stitch is a very
satisfying stitch to make. Worked through crochet spaces or filet crochet
squares it’s a lot easier to work than it looks and very effective. Wiggle stitch tutorial
One clever way to use spike
stitches, use a contrasting colour to create the effect you like. – tutorial
link
Use a pair of dc’s (sc’s) worked together
in 1dc (sc) then miss a dc (sc). This looks really good and creates a textured
effect
Work into the back loop or the
front loop only of your stitches. This is a very simple and easy way to create
a special stitch and creates a textured finish. Experiment with a sample to
create the effect you like.
Clusters, bobbles and puffs are
all special stitches and look very pretty worked in the same colour as you
project or with a contrasting colour or yarn
Sugar n Cream is a soft, yet durable cotton yarn that comes
in a whole range of colours and blends. I used it to make a crochet basket and
loved it. Now I wanted to try it on a larger project and I love crochet rugs. As
a thicker yarn it seemed perfect for a rug and as I needed a new rug for my
bedroom and wanted something soft on my feet I chose sugar n Cream yarn. I chose
the colours to match my bedroom and made it an oblong design.
I chose 6 different
colours so there was a lot of colour going on! It made sense then to keep the stitches
simple, too complicated and they would be lost. I used trebles (dc’s) in bands of
3 rows for each of my colour selections with some colours repeating. Then I
split these bands with a row of 1 chain spaces between.
This is how I planned the stripes.
Drawing in here... Starting
and finishing with green which is a slightly darker shade than the green of my
bedroom curtains. Then I added repeating stripes of pink, green, cream, one band of a colour blend and
one band of yellow. The finished rug looked good.
I love to give my crochet a ‘wow’ so I wanted something else
to make it special. I looked at edgings and tassels which take a huge amount of
yarn and would look too fussy and detract from the main design. Searching
pinterest for inspiration I came across some crochet cushions with wiggle
stitches and I loved them. These stitches are made by crocheting on top of a foundation
crochet mesh of 1 chain spaces.
I could see how using the wiggle stitches in the one chain
rows I had created would work, look very unusual and lift the design. Looking
at the rug I could see the pink, which is the prominent colour of my bedroom, was
not prominent enough. So I used pink for the wiggle after first trying the
darker green which gave a very different effect.
When I began the wiggle stitch scarf I planned the design
choosing colours and yarns carefully as always. I didn’t give a thought to the crochet
hook I would use. I began the foundation mesh with a soft grip hook and all was
well until I started the wiggle stitch rows. The Rowan yarn I used is a double knit weight and wiggle stitch is quite bulky. It became very difficult to crochet
and my hand began to ache. I switched to a metal hook but this was no better.
Luckily for me the Addi olive wood hook arrived from Laughing Hens who have an excellent range of crochet hooks and knitting needles, in the nick
of time and made it much easier to crochet the scarf. This shows how important
it is to sue the right one. Strong and robust this hook is slightly longer than
my soft grips and plastic hooks. Just goes to show you that your hook really
does make a difference!
Until fairly recently we were restricted to plastic or metal
hooks. Thankfully now we are spoilt for choice. I love that at last we have so
much choice and crochet hooks that are fit for purpose.
This Addi olivewood hook looks good with very pretty
markings. It had a ridge just where the hook rests against your thumb which
makes it very comfortable to use. I know some people hold a crochet hook like a
pencil so I tried the hook this way and it was just as comfortable and easy to
use.
I used was a 3.250mm sized hook. The Addi olivewood hook is
longer than my soft grips and plastic hooks, making it ideal for more robust
projects and for chunkier weight wools. Using it made my work feel more secure.
Strongly recommend this gorgeous crochet hook.
When it comes to yarn quality shows and using the right yarn
for your projects makes all the difference between being happy with your results
or disappointed. It’s essential to take time to work out what yarn would be
best for your crochet or knitted project, judging on quality, colour and
what you plan to make.
Manos del Uruguay Maxima
I used Manos del Uruguay Maxima to make a cascade scarf. It
was a joy to use, soft, warm and cuddly it soon became clear to make it would
create a lovely finish. Whatever you use yarn for it has to show the stitches and
design you have made, isn’t that the point of doing it? I’m happy to say that
Manos del Uruguay Maxima delivered on this count as you can see and I love the
finish this yarn created.
This extra fine merino is hand dyed yarn and this shows in
the finish. You will find slubs and variations in the colour but I see this as
a sign of originality and I love the original finish this produces. Manos del Uruguay is a non profit cooperative of women in the
countryside of Uruguay and their yarns are Fair Trade The aim of the cooperative is to bring economic and social opportunities
to rural women in Uruguay.
Manos del Uruguay Maxima is 100% merino wool and
approximately 219 yards/20m per 100g skein. I used a 4mm hook for this worsted weight. It crocheted up quickly and as a 1ply yarn there was no
splitting of the yarn even when I made some more intricate stitches.
Manos del Uruguay Maxima comes in a whole range of colours
from natural to the grey(Foil) I used to punchy yellows, red and blends. You can see the range and buy from Rooster Yarns. Choose
this yarn and you will be spoilt for choice with something for every
project. I’d love to use one of the blues to make a baby blanket.
This dense and warm yarn would be ideal for winter jumpers and it would make lovely baby clothes and chunky
toddler cardigans. Manos del Uruguay Maxima is a quality
yarn. Would I use
this yarn again yes I would definitely!
The colours for the third design of my summer Kaleidoscope cushion collection was inspired by a visit to the seaside on a sunny warm day in June. The dog played on the beach we paddled in the sea and indulged in very big ice creams! The sea was very blue and the cliffs were two shades of rusty brown and in bright sunshine the sand was a pale beigy grey.
The colours didn’t seem like an obvious combination but if they work in nature.....When we came back from the seaside I had the inspiration for my 3rd cushion in my head and I couldn’t wait to start. For this 3rd cushion I wanted to show more detail of the crochet stitches so I needed to use a finer yarn.
Searching my stocks of yarn I found some Shilasdair which is made using natural dyes and is a lovely yarn from independent spinners on the Isle of Skye. It has slubs of wool something that I love as it brings another dimension to the finished designs. In this cushion I used an oatmeal colour. For some reason finer yarns seem to have more subtle colours. I combined the Shilasdair with West Yorkshire Spinners 4 ply from the Spice range. The blue is Sirdar Country Style 4 ply. I used a 3.5 crochet hook.
The theme that runs through the Kaleidoscope collection is the colours and using colour combinations to define the designs. All of the Kaleidoscope collection were made by me when sitting in the garden when it was not always warm and I sometimes had to dodge the showers!
As you know I love embellishments and while I loved the finished design it looked a bit masculine with an all square design so I added the 3d roses. As you can see I loved making them and got a bit carried away. Find the pattern here
The colours for the third design of my summer Kaleidoscope cushion collection was inspired by a visit to the seaside on a sunny warm day in June. The dog played on the beach we paddled in the sea and indulged in very big ice creams! The sea was very blue and the cliffs were two shades of rusty brown and in bright sunshine the sand was a pale beigy grey.
The colours didn’t seem like an obvious combination but if they work in nature.....When we came back from the seaside I had the inspiration for my 3rd cushion in my head and I couldn’t wait to start. For this 3rd cushion I wanted to show more detail of the crochet stitches so I needed to use a finer yarn.
Searching my stocks of yarn I found some Shilasdair which is made using natural dyes and is a lovely yarn from independent spinners on the Isle of Skye. It has slubs of wool something that I love as it brings another dimension to the finished designs. In this cushion I used an oatmeal colour. For some reason finer yarns seem to have more subtle colours. I combined the Shilasdair with West Yorkshire Spinners 4 ply from the Spice range. The blue is Sirdar Country Style 4 ply. I used a 3.5 crochet hook.
The theme that runs through the Kaleidoscope collection is the colours and using colour combinations to define the designs. All of the Kaleidoscope collection were made by me when sitting in the garden when it was not always warm and I sometimes had to dodge the showers!
The garden in June
As you know I love embellishments and while I loved the finished design it looked a bit masculine with an all square design so I added the 3d roses. As you can see I loved making them and got a bit carried away. Find the pattern here
Sirdar Crofter double knit (US equivalent) is a quality yarn at a good price. Very soft it is designed to create a Fair Isle effect in knitted jumpers and cardigans. 60% Acrylic and 25% Cotton a 50g ball gives a Yardage/metre of 170m/184y.
I’ve seen Crofter used in knitting to create that lovely Fair Isle look, but you can also use Crofter very effectively in crochet. Use Crofter to crochet tops and jackets. However when you use it for scarves, cushions or throws, Crofter will make a simple design look very effective and much more intricate than it really is.
Simple strips or motifs of double crochet Crofter looks very effective combined with other Sirdar yarns, including Baby Bamboo. Crofter would be lovely used in a ripple pattern using contrasting or blended colours with the colours of the Crofter Fair Isle.
Popcorn stitches in Sirdar Baby Bamboo
I used Crofter for my summer bag/work bag. I added strips of Sirdar Crofter in a blue/rust/brown blend in double crochet in between rows of Sirdar double knit Snuggly. To add interest and to tone in with it Sirdar Snuggly double knit in a rusty brown colour.
Sirdar Crofter comes in a range of colours with dyes that tone in with other Sirdar yarns. Choose from 21 colours including pinks, purples, heathers, oranges, grey, greens and a lovely pale sea grass.
Adding an
edging makes a massive difference to any finished item, giving it that little
extra va va voom, whether it is a crochet cushion, throw or clothing. Go that
extra mile with an edging and lift your crochet work making it something
special to be proud. If you are making a gift with a beautiful edging the person
receiving it will know you have gone that extra mile for them.
An edging
can be as simple or complicated as you like and will frame your finished
design. Or you can make the edging the main part of your design and this works particularly
well if you are making a simple design.
Stitch lengthwise – make your edging by joining on to
the last row of your work and create an edging row on row around your work.
Stitch
horizontal - You
can also make an edging separately by making a number of chains for the width
of edging you want and by working horizontally. Carry on until your edging is
the length you need, then attach by sewing on to your work or slip stitch
together. This creates a completely different look to your work.
Plain stripes – use the colors of your project to
create stripes. Make this edging special by working into the back loops only on
all or rows or alternative rows to create a very pretty ribbed effect. Make uneven
rows of colours or switch between trebles and double crochet (SC’s) rows.
Small or
large edging – to create a frame for your main work, with a
few simple stripes and a final row of shells stitches. This looks lovely on
baby blankets. Depending on the size of your project make shells by working
into every 3rd or 4th stitch (1dc 1htr 3tr 1htr 1dc).
Tassel it – add a few simple rows of a stripe
edging, then add a final row of tassels, using the yarn of your work. You can
add tassels to the corners only or all around. Be warned tassels use up a lot
of yarn! To see how I used these edgings visit.....
My first Kaleidoscope
cushion launched in April this year, featured multiple square motifs. The Kaleidoscope collection of three cushions are all inspired by my garden which is a bit wild and rambling! For the
second of my Kaleidoscope cushions You can see the first one here...I had
the idea of one big square motif for the middle of the cushion. I had been
experimenting with free form crochet and making ruffles which in free form add a 3D element to flowers and shells. I could see how using a ruffle
would make a lovely edging for the cushion, so the two ideas came together!
When I
designed this cushion late spring was here and wild campion was growing alongside ‘Lady's
Mantle’ (alchamelia mollis) in the garden. It’s amazing how nature
creates lovely combinations all by itself. The pretty pink of the taller campion was
surrounded by the lime coloured leaves of Lady’s mantle and late spring showers made
sparkly rain drops on the leaves lady’s mantle. This gave me the idea for the
colours and the yarn for the second of the Kaleidoscope cushion.
My first Kaleidoscope cushion has a homely style. I wanted the second one to have a summery look and feel, something that would look good in a conservatory or
on a garden chair. What yarn to use? I love Baby Bamboo! It’s a soft
yarn with a lovely sheen and comes in a gorgeous choice of colours so it seemed the perfect choice. I use Baby
Bamboo a lot, you can see it here in my summer holdall. When I designed this bag I used baby bamboo for the popcorn flowers and it really stands out.
For my second Kaleidoscope cushion, which is design number 13 I used 3 colours of baby bamboo, I used a lovely bright green and turquoise blue for the centre motif and added a pale pink for the ruffle edging. Read my Baby Bamboo review here.
Whatever I am
designing I love combining yarns and the effects this produces. It
makes a big difference to crochet projects. Baby Bamboo is reasonably priced
but does not go as far as other 50gm yarns so it makes sense to combine it
with something else.
I decided on Sirdar baby
cotton it is a rather dull looking yarn but is very soft and lovely to crochet
with. Better still it goes a long way. The idea I had was to create a basic background effect
with a heavier weight yarn to the finished cushion which would show case the lovely shiny
baby bamboo and I think this has come off.
For the second Kaleidoscope cushion, Auriol Crochet design 13, I used 3 colours of Baby Bamboo a lovely bright green and turquoise blue for the centre motif with a pale pink for the ruffle edging.
I love fastening and I feel very strongly they should be a fundamental part of the design not just an add on. Kaleidoscope cushion 1 has big buttons on an envelope style fastening. Kaleidoscope is a bit more sophisticated with a different style of button. I added 2 buttons, but a row of buttons would look really good. You could pick any colour you sued in the cushion for the buttons or ix and match!
Earlier this year I was practising some bullion stitches as part of a freeform design I am planning. Bullion stitches however you make them are a bit fiddly and take time to make. At the same time I was looking at my collection of textured stitches and I came across this variation on a treble which gives a similar look to a bullion stitch and is a lot easier to make.
Depending on how big you want your bullion stitch lookalike you make the clusters bigger by using more trebles. You can find more of my hints and tips on how to improve your crochet here.....
I find inspiration for new designs from various places. Sometimes it’s something as simple as seeing flower combinations in the garden.
My summer bolster cushion with popcorn flowers were inspired by some pale lime Christmas Rose flowers that looked so lovely alongside the pale sage green/grey of the Brunnera that grows next to it.
I’ve been planning the design of my Kaleidoscope cushions collection since last autumn but a busy winter with crochet workshops and commission designs took up my time. You can follow the story of my Kaleidoscope Collection here......
Finally getting around to thinking about the new cushions I spotted a woven tapestry cushion in a shop window. It had squares of different bright colours with stripes of a main colour between them.
As often happens this set me off on a myriad of ideas so I decided to design the first kaleidoscope using the tapestry idea and incorporate the treble cluster around stitch which is very nice to make. I offset the multi coloured squares which looks really nice, but it would equally as good if the squares were all in the same position.
I thought the style of the first kaleidoscope cushion would be better suited to an envelope style cushion. I made these decorative buttons which match the cushion and include the cluster around stitch. The first kaleidoscope cushion is easy to make and grows quickly, changing colour always stops me getting bored!
1. Hold your yarn as in the diagram it takes a bit of getting use to but is definitely worth it, it really helps keep your tension right and feeds the yarn more easily
2. Make a small piece of work if you are making garments, cushions and throws. Doing this will show you if you are crocheting too tight or too slack. It will save you time later on and prevent you having to pull out large pieces of work! Change to larger hook if your work too tight and a smaller hook if your work is too loose.
3. Use a larger hook for your foundation row if working a straight piece of work. This will make the loops of your foundation row larger and make it easier to crochet into the loops on the next row.
4. If you are making cushions, blankets or throws try using a different sized hook or thicker yarn for an open work finish.
5. If you can’t manage a magic circle you can create a similar effect by crocheting into the last chain. For example stitches for the first part of your magic circle are ‘1dc 5 tr 1dc’ (1sc, 5dc, 1sc US) make 3 or 4 chain and crochet the same stitches into the last chain, then join to the first stitch with a slip stitch.
6. If you are using motifs you don’t have to stick to the numbers of rows given make less or more rows as you like.
7. Having difficulty understanding which yarn to use for your pattern?
8. If you are crocheting in the round, count your stitches and use stitch markers or a piece bit of different coloured yarn to mark the beginning of rows.
9. Use a soft grip crochet hook rather than a metal one, they are more comfortable. Metal and plastic hooks make your hands sweat!
10. Try using different yarns of the same weight for your crochet cushions and throws, to create a different effect. For example add a tweedy yarn, one with silk in it or add a linen yarn. Using one ball of a more expensive yarn will make your finished project look more expensive.
1. Fastening off to save stitching in yarn ends– crochet in your ends as you go along by layering the ends along your work and crochet over them
2. Joining motifs together – back stitch looks neater and is stronger. You can also crochet motifs together using slip stitch or double crochet (US single crochet) using dc’s creates a pretty ridge
3. Make your own buttons for garment and cushions. Here’s a simple free one. Make 6 chain join together, 3 ch make 22 half trebles (US half double crochet) into the ring, join with a slip stitch to make a ring. Sl stitch into top of first half treble (US half dc), Into each stitch make one slip stitch 4. join to first slip stitch. Fasten off. You can if you wish spray starch your buttons to make them more rigid. You can find more of my patterns here.
4. Add some extras to crochet throws, blankets and cushions personalise and make your finished item really special e.g. tassels and edgings. Use and mix up the colours from your project in tassels and edgings to pull it all together.
5. If you are making a throw, blanket or cushion with rows of trebles and dc’s (US single crochet) switch some of the rows to crocheting in the back loops only to create a very pretty ridge.
6. You can also change rows of trebles in cushions and throws to create a really interesting look, by switching to crossover trebles and you should not have to adapt your tension. Cross trebles are based on four stitches. Miss the first stitch, 1 tr (US dc) into each of next 3 stitches, then make one tr (US dc) into stitch you missed. Carry on in this way. If the number of stitches you have is not divisible by four just add single tr’s (US dc’s) to the beginning end of your row.
7. If you are making motifs use the same colour for the centre or final row of your motifs it will bring your design together.
8. To give an interesting finish to your projects crochet on top of your finished project using a contrasting colour - this can be as simple as a row of sl stitches or dc’s (US single crochet) crochet into the loops on the rows of your crochet.
9. Mix up your motifs adding up to 4 or 6 different ones in the same size to create more interest to throws, cushions and blankets.
10. Add small motifs, flowers or buttons on top of what you are doing. You can crochet them separately and stitch onto crochet onto your design
